Super foods claim to be good for our bodies. But what really are they? And what do they even do? According to foodmatters.tv, a super food is “calorie sparse and nutrient dense,” which means they have a high nutrient to high nutrient to energy (calorie) weight ratio. Below, you’ll find a basic list of most common in the market right now and what they do for our bodies.
Kale
Being a leafy, green vegetable, kale can be prepared in numerous ways. Kale-lovers often make it into a smoothie, throw it into their salad, and even bake it in the oven for kale chips. Kale contains 133% of Vitamin A, 134% of Vitamin C, 10% of Vitamin B-6 and the list goes on. So is kale actually a super food? Yes! Maybe, the next time you are craving chips, make kale chips! Just drizzle some kale with olive oil and a hint of salt and pop it into the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes for a light, healthy snack.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds look like black and white sesame seeds. They are unique because once they are submerged in liquid; they form this gel-like structure around the seed to give the solution a more viscous texture.Chia seeds are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids and are high in fiber. Chia seeds can be enjoyed to thicken up pudding or smoothies. So the next time you make a smoothie, add a teaspoon of chia seeds for health benefits and added texture! Here is a recipe utilizing these seeds:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/chia-seed-pudding.html
Quinoa
Quinoa-lovers add quinoa to all sorts of dishes including a topping for salads. It can be used in place of less ingredients like croutons. Quinoa contains 83% Magnesium, 40% Vitamin B-6, 43% Iron, 48% Protein and 48% fiber. Another bonus is that quinoa is very easy to cook! Just bring about 2 cups of water to a boil then add 1 cup of quinoa and simmer them until it is tender and soft (or whatever consistency you prefer.)
A recipe of fried quinoa as rice can be found here: http://feedmephoebe.com/2014/01/easy-fried-rice-with-quinoa/.
Sources:
Healthy Aggies at UC Davis 